Week 121 Dec. 23 - Cougar Mountain State Park

Total distance: Approximately 4 miles

Elevation Gain: 500 feet

Time: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Weather: Overcast and cool.

Really did not feel like hiking on this weekend.  I was leaving for California the next day, had work to finish, had chores to do, etc.  Laid in bed for a long time, then I decided an easy hike with an easy travel was manageable to keep the streak going.  I wore jeans and tennis shoes, took no pack, and never lost cell service.  I was on trails though.

I went to the same state park where the first hike took place.  I got to the trailhead, grabbed a map, and saw a simple little lop that would take me by Coal Creek Falls.

Orchid: Lovely walk, felt good to hike in jeans.  I even felt far away from civilization... until I heard it...

Onion: The city noise.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 120 Dec. 15 - Lake Carl Blackwell

Total distance: Approximately 4 miles

Elevation Gain: 100 feet

Time: 9:30 am - 11:30 pm

Weather: Sunny, warm, beautiful.

My little sister was married on this day.  I still wanted to keep the streak of hikes going.  Woke up struggling from travel and the rehearsal dinner the night before.  The wedding was in Stillwater, OK.  The city I lived in for five years from September 2000 until August 2005.  It was good to be "home" in a way.  Went out to a lake just west of town.  There were some trails to walk around on.  

It was a short, lovely, lonely walk.  I saw one person on a horse off in the distance.

Orchid: Beautiful day, beautiful solitude, beautiful deer.

Onion: None on a day like this one.

Picture:

Google Map

Wee 119 Dec. 9 - Little River

Total distance: Approximately 13 miles

Elevation Gain: 2500 feet

Time: Again, too long ago to really remember.

Weather: A little rainy/snowy depending on elevation.

A former student and I took off from Port Angeles with an aggressive hike up to Hurricane Ridge.  Like the day before, we did not start early enough with the limited daylight.  We turned around, but we had a great hike/snowshoe trip.

Orchid: Good times with a good friend.

Onion: All the log bridges a day after a close call.  My confidence was shaken.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 119 Dec. 8 - Carbon River

Total distance: Approximately 14 miles

Elevation Gain: 700 feet

Time: Cannot remember.

Weather: Overcast and cool, a little rain.

Out on a hike with Sean, a student from my school.  He was the kid who I hiked with on outdoor ed and just two weeks before.  Just he and I on our way to the Carbon glacier, but I remember we had a late start with limited daylight.  We carried our snowshoes and used them about a mile past Ipsut Falls.

We crossed the Carbon River at the lower crossing.  It was getting late, so we stopped and turned around.  On the way back, I almost fell into the river off a bridge at the worst place.  The rail saved me.  Sean said the rail moved like it was going to break.

Orchid: Good company.

Onion: Scare on the footbridge.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 118 Dec. 2 - Rampart Ridge Loop, Mount Rainier

Total distance: Approximately 8ish miles

Elevation Gain: 2000 feet

Time: 9 am - 4ish pm

Weather: Rainy and cold, snowy as we climbed.

This was a school club hike with Creighton Diane, and 3 students.

It was 6 weeks ago.  I remember the snow and solitude.  The snow helped me feel the holiday spirit.

Orchid: Solitude in snow.

Onion: Cold scare for a student.

Picture:

Google Map